1. God Trumps

Comment #286685 by JAMCAM87 on November 19, 2008 at 6:50 am

Boy, did I laugh hard at the muslim card.

2. Puncturing the Acupuncture Myth

Comment #286270 by JAMCAM87 on November 18, 2008 at 12:24 pm

Comment #286255 by Sciros on November 18, 2008 at 12:10 pm

Gee thanks for killing another placebo effect motherfuckers. I'm running out of stuff to make me feel better w/o chemically altering my body!

3. Atheism, a positive pillar

Comment #286249 by JAMCAM87 on November 18, 2008 at 12:03 pm

Comment #285969 by MPhil on November 17, 2008 at 10:33 pm

That's where the concept of (weakly) emergent characteristics comes in - and that's why it is so important.

4. Atheism, a positive pillar

Comment #286244 by JAMCAM87 on November 18, 2008 at 11:55 am

Comment #285637 by decius

"I am an acharlatanist - that includes all forms of deception of the masses and quackery, down to religion."

I am now even against the term "atheist". It makes as much sense to me to be "anti-santa-clauseist". I am simply not deluded

5. Atheism/Agnosticism Plus Compassion Equals Humanism

Comment #284116 by JAMCAM87 on November 14, 2008 at 11:44 am

If you want to do something naughty, you're going to do it, and all the theology in the world isn't going to stop you.

6. Quentin Letts ranks Dawkins 30th on list of 'people who have wrecked Britain'

Comment #281424 by JAMCAM87 on November 10, 2008 at 10:08 am

Comment #281358 by Mark Jones

Yes our comments are beastly apparently. But his description of Dawkins as a "crazed prophet" and the various other insults in his list are far from beastly.

Quentin Letts, if you're reading, this is what I really think of you:

I think you are a complete slime ball. Your writing is nothing but gossip that you shit straight from your ass. I'm glad we hurt your feelings. Go cry on the shoulder of someone who cares.

Comment #281353 by phil rimmer

Go Janet!

7. Quentin Letts ranks Dawkins 30th on list of 'people who have wrecked Britain'

Comment #281411 by JAMCAM87 on November 10, 2008 at 9:46 am

Hey guys,

The video isn't working anymore. I'm not sure why. If anyone finds it let me know.

EDIT - click on aquinas' name and you can watch the video.

8. Quentin Letts ranks Dawkins 30th on list of 'people who have wrecked Britain'

Comment #281300 by JAMCAM87 on November 10, 2008 at 5:31 am

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=H0poirzBHs4

Looks like Quentin Letts has been reading our comments.

9. Does Religion Make You Nice?

Comment #280981 by JAMCAM87 on November 9, 2008 at 4:57 am

Steve,

I have no doubt a lot of them would be put off giving assistance to an "atheist community".

I think if we want to form a group or community, we should label it based on what we are aiming to achieve.

This really doesn't work with the term "atheism".

If asked what I want to achieve, it isn't for others to be atheist. I would not be happy if people got to atheism without the use of reason. The promotion of reason has broader effects - it leads people to question all kinds of dogma, and all kinds of supernaturalism. Atheism is a common view reached by the application of reason.

So, even if it were appropriate, an "atheist community" would be far too limiting for me.

I want to promote reason and clear thinking.

10. Does Religion Make You Nice?

Comment #280978 by JAMCAM87 on November 9, 2008 at 4:45 am

Comment #280747 by phil rimmer

"I wonder if you are happy like the Swedes are happy'

I can't find the reference at present but in a survey, the (godless)Swedes self-describe themselves as being happy more often than other nationalities. However, a part of this general happiness seems to consist of accepting that NOT being happy is a natural part of ones life also.

This sensible and balanced view of one's emotional prognosis may be yielding a kind of happiness (a contentment'.. perhaps not) less accessible to the "happy" clappy xian, with her euphoria, unsustainable by the outrages of fortune. "

I think I should be more clear. I would never define myself as happy. For the simple reason that there are just too many things to be angry about. So I guess what I meant by happy was happy with the world the way it is at present.

11. Does Religion Make You Nice?

Comment #280731 by JAMCAM87 on November 8, 2008 at 7:00 am

Dear all,

I actually have to agree with the article. I am definitely less happy than most of the religious people I know. But I'd rather be misreable than go walking about in some deluded stupor with no grasp on reality.

12. Obama the Secularist

Comment #279766 by JAMCAM87 on November 6, 2008 at 11:24 am

Comment #279738 by Elli

"conviction these are much closer to his real thoughts on the subject then his pandering to the religious"

I have heard many times that Obama doesn't even believe in God. Is there any evidence for this' It is also my gut reaction that he is an atheist in disguise for two, maybe unconvincing, reasons:

1)He is educated.
2)He is a secularist and in most cases atheism is a pre-requisite for secularism.

13. Quentin Letts ranks Dawkins 30th on list of 'people who have wrecked Britain'

Comment #278889 by JAMCAM87 on November 5, 2008 at 11:17 am

Comment #278321 by phil rimmer

What a wonderful post, it cheered me up when I read it. :)

14. Quentin Letts ranks Dawkins 30th on list of 'people who have wrecked Britain'

Comment #278136 by JAMCAM87 on November 4, 2008 at 12:25 pm

Comment #278107 by Kit Finn

"Ah, the Daily Mail. probably a bigger factor in 'wrecking Britain' than all 50 put together."

Yeh and Quentin Letts should be at least in the top ten of his own list.

15. Quentin Letts ranks Dawkins 30th on list of 'people who have wrecked Britain'

Comment #278108 by JAMCAM87 on November 4, 2008 at 12:13 pm

"In times of turbulence, the human being is little different from the vole or the dormouse. It will take shelter where it can."

And that's when the vulnerable and the sick and the ignorant walk straight into the open arms of religious fanatics ready to convert, use and misuse them.

16. Quentin Letts ranks Dawkins 30th on list of 'people who have wrecked Britain'

Comment #278090 by JAMCAM87 on November 4, 2008 at 12:00 pm

"A man less obsessed with himself and with the narrow calculations of men in white coats might realise that religion, although never offering proof of God's existence, can sugar catastrophe and brighten chasms."

This says it all really. I wonder if he would describe the stoning of the rape victim in Somalia as needing a good bit of sugar-coating. What a fucking retard.

17. Stoning victim 'begged for mercy'

Comment #278085 by JAMCAM87 on November 4, 2008 at 11:57 am

I absolutely knew it! I said in a previous post that the BBC hadn't covered this story properly and now here is the follow up.

18. Turek vs. Hitchens Debate: Does God Exist?

Comment #277364 by JAMCAM87 on November 3, 2008 at 2:13 pm

Comment #276295 by Mark Jones

Thanks Mark!

19. Turek vs. Hitchens Debate: Does God Exist?

Comment #276271 by JAMCAM87 on November 1, 2008 at 4:23 pm

Comment #276267 by Brian English

Brian, good answer, thanks.

20. Turek vs. Hitchens Debate: Does God Exist?

Comment #276265 by JAMCAM87 on November 1, 2008 at 4:17 pm

I have been accused of holding faith positions and for believing in a perfect entity.

Apparently I have faith that science can explain everything and that I believe in a perfect entity which is science.

How do I respond to these accusations?

21. Turek vs. Hitchens Debate: Does God Exist?

Comment #276248 by JAMCAM87 on November 1, 2008 at 4:03 pm

Decius,

"Don't worry. Luckily, this isn't a New Age site, I won't claim special telepathic connection."

But surely posting so simlarly in one day is just too improbable to have happened by coincidence? Surely the supernatural must account for it? I don't want to jump to conclusions or anything but now that I think about it...yes...the universe is just too improbable...GOD MUST EXIST!

22. Turek vs. Hitchens Debate: Does God Exist?

Comment #276243 by JAMCAM87 on November 1, 2008 at 3:59 pm

Comment #276234 by Brian English

"JAMCAM87, you've lost me, first you say that maths is coherent, so it's correct on logical grounds, but you use that to argue against my argument that a theory needs to be correct on logical grounds?"

Ok, then we agree I think. Things need to be mathematically logical. A theory cannot contradict maths.

Like decius said, can you think of an example of a theory that is incoherent on logical grounds? I certainly can't.

23. Turek vs. Hitchens Debate: Does God Exist?

Comment #276233 by JAMCAM87 on November 1, 2008 at 3:51 pm

Decius, just realised you posted about quantum mechanics as I was posting. That is TWICE in one day that I have replied (almost) identically to someone else.

24. Turek vs. Hitchens Debate: Does God Exist?

Comment #276231 by JAMCAM87 on November 1, 2008 at 3:49 pm

Brian,

"The result is correct, but the theory incoherent on logical grounds. We'd have to rework the theory because though we get the right answer, we have no idea why."

That's not strictly true - quantum mechanics has many logical contradictions wave/particle duality and quantum tunnelling etc. There is no MATHEMATICAL contradiction, just a human, fabricated one. If we had never described them as particles or waves in the first place then no confusion would have arisen.

25. Palin: average isn't good enough

Comment #276226 by JAMCAM87 on November 1, 2008 at 3:42 pm

Frankus,

That was really interesting, thank you.

26. Palin: average isn't good enough

Comment #276149 by JAMCAM87 on November 1, 2008 at 12:15 pm

Styrer,

"Now, where have all the fucking theists gone?"

Good question. D Robertson has recently let his guard down was humiliated by everyone and has not returned since. You should have a look on Atheist bus campaign thread.

27. Palin: average isn't good enough

Comment #276144 by JAMCAM87 on November 1, 2008 at 12:01 pm

DP

You are right, emotion shouldn't control your argument. This hard-and-fast rule doesn't mean that you need to become a cold emotionless shell in order to be a reasonable person though. "Liberals" are not the emotion-governed fools that you make them out to be.

28. Teaching hate in UK schools

Comment #276047 by JAMCAM87 on November 1, 2008 at 6:27 am

Styrer,

Lol! I was wondering where you were taking me with that!

Don't worry though I do science not politics so even if I did want to ban private language schools your wife's job would be safe.

Best,

J.

EDIT - what exactly do you teach?

29. Teaching hate in UK schools

Comment #276043 by JAMCAM87 on November 1, 2008 at 5:55 am

Styrer

"Thanks - I actually mean nationals of other countries than one's own coming for a language course and then going home again. In other words, tourist learners.

Do you have a problem with that, if the institution which they attend is private?"

No I don't have a problem with that. What you describe sounds like a summer school or extra cirrular actvity though. The assumption I would make is that they attend a state school back at home.

30. Teaching hate in UK schools

Comment #275848 by JAMCAM87 on October 31, 2008 at 6:04 pm

Styrer,

"Do you have a problem with, for example, non-nationals coming to a country to learn that country's language in a private language school which specialises in language tuition for foreigners?"

No but let me ask: are we talking about the education of children or immigrants?

Sorry for not getting back to you - never noticed.

31. Palin: average isn't good enough

Comment #275846 by JAMCAM87 on October 31, 2008 at 5:59 pm

DP

"No I know exactly what socialism is. Communism is the end game of socialism. You want to give more and more power to government, so that they can some how make everyone equal. When everyone becomes equal, then it becomes communism and government is some how suppose to disappear. What socialist don't seem to understand is that when you give so much power to government, it does not want to hand it over. This is why all the leaders who tried to form communistic societies, never want to participate in them"

Well done this is an excellent point but all you have done is highlight why I am a socialist and not a communist.

"Yes you are so compassionate that you want to take wealth from people and give it to someone else. Who cares that you are taking something someone else earned and giving to someone who didn't. That doesn't matter because you know whats the right thing to do and if that person doesn't like then he can fuck off, right? Better yet, you make government force them to give it up because they don't deserve what they have anyway because everyone doesn't have what they have. So because you feel so compassionate about helping the unfortunate, you are willing to force other people to help. Now what happens if I don't want to? What happens if I refuse to help them? What should be my punishment? "

But if you were ill or in need of financial aid would you hold such a position? I find that very hard to believe. It's credit on my part that I would be happy to pay, via taxes, to support YOU, DP should you be unfortunate in life.

Goodnight. Keep up the fight Titania.

32. Palin: average isn't good enough

Comment #275839 by JAMCAM87 on October 31, 2008 at 5:47 pm

DP

"Do you not see something wrong with forcing someone to give a little even if they don't want to? Do you not see that as an encroachment of that persons freedoms? Do you even care about freedoms or is the collective more important than the individual to you?"

Finally DP is beginning to understand!!! No and no to your first questions.

33. Teaching hate in UK schools

Comment #275829 by JAMCAM87 on October 31, 2008 at 5:27 pm

DP

"Where exactly does it say I am entitled to have a good education? I ave no problem with people having one and it sounds like a great idea, but where does it say that though. Wheres the rule book that says that?"

The international treaty on human rights. (But you might want to check this as I'm not 100%)

34. Palin: average isn't good enough

Comment #275828 by JAMCAM87 on October 31, 2008 at 5:25 pm

DP,

"No, no, no. Socialism is the philosophy that GOVERNMENT is so strong that it should take care of everyone, not individuals. Socialism is the belief that personal responsibility should not exist because someone else should be responsible for you. Socialism is the belief that a higher power knows best, which is government. This is why communistic countries get rid of religion. They dont want people looking anywhere else for answers but to the government."

A few things:

You don't really understand what socialism is.
Socialism and communism are not the same.

Hoarding your wealth is precisely the opposite of responsibilty.

Everything you have suggested so far is based on selfishness, greed, the strong becoming stronger and the weak becoming weaker (in essence social darwinism). You have obviously never lived a life of poverty or depravity. Not saying that I have but at least I'm compassionate enough to care about those who do.

35. Palin: average isn't good enough

Comment #275825 by JAMCAM87 on October 31, 2008 at 5:19 pm

Titania,

Aren't all great minds the minds of socialists? ;)

36. Teaching hate in UK schools

Comment #275821 by JAMCAM87 on October 31, 2008 at 5:15 pm

DP

"If you get rid of faith and private schools then you take choice away from people. Which is pretty much communism because you don't have choices in communism. You can either have X or you can have X. With capitalism, you can have A though Z. Maybe you can't afford Z, but you might be able to afford A though J, etc"

We're not talking about which type of chocolate bar you want or which make of TV you want; we are talking about a good education - the basic right of every individual.

37. Palin: average isn't good enough

Comment #275816 by JAMCAM87 on October 31, 2008 at 5:07 pm

DP,

"What would also be a great phenomenon to study is the socialist ideas that they think they are entitled to certain things. The phenomenon that other people are responsible for them. I called this mentality the "baby-syndrome" because thats how they want to be treated and taken care of."

And so should society take care of the weak? The disabled? The ill? Are they the "babies" to whom you refer?

You should change your name to "social darwinist pitbull".

EDIT - Socialism is the complete opposite! It's about the strong being so "unbabyish" that they can use their time and resources to take care of those who are less strong. We don't think that WE are entitled to certain things but that EVERYONE is entitled to certain things. Therein lies your misunderstanding of socialism.

38. Teaching hate in UK schools

Comment #275806 by JAMCAM87 on October 31, 2008 at 4:57 pm

DP

"Well I guess no parents care because no one has figured that out yet."

I have just figured it out for them. State controlled well-funded academies for all. NO faith schools and NO private schools.

Did you not benefit from a state school?

39. Teaching hate in UK schools

Comment #275803 by JAMCAM87 on October 31, 2008 at 4:51 pm

DP

"A parent who really cares will find a way to make their kids smarter."

A parent who REALLY cares will find a way to make ALL kids smarter. This involves supporting well-funded state based education.

40. Palin: average isn't good enough

Comment #275802 by JAMCAM87 on October 31, 2008 at 4:46 pm

DP,

"Its going pretty good. If Obama wins we will get to see socialist economic policies and then we can compare the two."

How can you possibly compare them? Obama will spend his first two years in office repairing the damage done by a republican government. Are socialists forever to be cleaning up the mess of conservatives?

41. Teaching hate in UK schools

Comment #275792 by JAMCAM87 on October 31, 2008 at 4:18 pm

"What if parents take more responsibility over there kids? Like maybe helping them with homework and helping them learn how to read, etc.. But if you want to make public schools better then get rid off teachers unions. Let every teacher be judged on how well their class does. Make it easier to fire teachers, not harder like it is now. You do that and make parents more responsible and some kids will do better. But no matter how how "fair" you try and make it, some kids will always fail and some will succeed. What would you say then if everyone had the same start in life and 20% of kids still failed? What would be the next excuse?"

My parents could never have afforded to send me to private school where I would have had a better education. However I was lucky enough to have a scientist for a father. So you are right it is impossible to give every child EXACTLY the same start in life but school should be one of those places where all children are treated as equals even if this is not the case in the home.

Why should the amount of money your parents have determine whether or not you have the right to a good or a bad education? A decent education is something which I believe is the birth right of every child.

As for firing teachers I actually agree with you for once DP! I think it is a shame that there are so many truly apalling teachers out there. Again I was lucky enough to have some really inspirational ones. I don't know what the solution to this problem is.

42. Teaching hate in UK schools

Comment #275787 by JAMCAM87 on October 31, 2008 at 4:03 pm

Styrer,

"For example, would you be happy to permit the operation of private language schools, or private science schools, whose course completion does not lead necessarily to public examinations."

If these are just specialist schools which are still government run, then yes. I have many friends who went to music schools which were not private - they were just for kids who showed a particular flare for music. That is, ASSUMING they are getting a general education too. But schools which are funded by private money are more likely to be subject to censorship and can be driven by the donor's personal ideology.

43. Teaching hate in UK schools

Comment #275778 by JAMCAM87 on October 31, 2008 at 3:48 pm

Well I have to admit, I dabbled in communism but found it hard to put into practice. :)

p.s. Atheism and communism are seen as synonymous by some. John Lennox seemed quite happy to draw the connection between communism and atheism in his debate with Hitchens in Edinburgh.

44. Teaching hate in UK schools

Comment #275764 by JAMCAM87 on October 31, 2008 at 2:49 pm

Of course I'm sure someone will now accuse me of communism. :)

45. Teaching hate in UK schools

Comment #275761 by JAMCAM87 on October 31, 2008 at 2:42 pm

Beeline said,

"But I have to face the fact that where I live has the worst public secondary education in the country, and faith schools are an alternative. So I need to know the facts as much as anybody."

I think everything you have said is very reasonable. However I don't think there should be CHOICE in the first place. Ideally all schools should be the same (at the same high standard) and every child should have the same start in life. You should go to the school closest to you. I despair of the fact that rich parents get to choose which school their kids get to go to while poor kids are condemned to some run-down inner city dump. Faith schools shouldn't exist and private schools shouldn't exist.

46. Teaching hate in UK schools

Comment #275307 by JAMCAM87 on October 31, 2008 at 4:11 am

Beeline,

Are you saying that we should just let faith schools bee and hope that children emerge as atheists.'

Why don't we let the BNP fund a school then since we just live in a "capatilist democracy" '

There is just no such thing as a compromise when it comes to faith schools I'm afraid.

47. Teaching hate in UK schools

Comment #275299 by JAMCAM87 on October 31, 2008 at 4:05 am

Comment #275239 by Richard Dawkins

I know your questions were mostly rhetorical but here goes anyway:

"Was she unfairly treated'"

Yes that meanie Paxman should never had asked those mean questions! And she should have been given at least a day to learn how to speak english properly!

"Should the school have its government support money withdrawn'"

No, the government should fund a small bulldozer and send it in that direction.

"Should all faith schools have their government support withdrawn'"

No they should all be bulldozed.

EDIT - spelling

48. Teaching hate in UK schools

Comment #275279 by JAMCAM87 on October 31, 2008 at 3:40 am

The government should NEVER have allowed new faith schools to be set up. They should have been gradually phased out like they are beginning to do in scotland.

But you have to ask the question "why have Labour allowed it'" There are a few reasons:

-Tony Blair was religious himself.

-Faith schools often have rich donors and so labour could save money. It's similar to their PFI scheme.

-Faith schools have snuck in the backdoor, hidding under a veil of multiculturalism.

-Parents in the south of england are desperate for places for their kids in good schools.

People are naive if they think this is a one off. This is happening in EVERY faith school to varying degrees. We are letting thousands of children down and letting Labour get away with it.

49. Interview with Richard Dawkins on fairy tales and retirement

Comment #275028 by JAMCAM87 on October 30, 2008 at 4:16 pm

Comment #274436 by isthatclear on October 30, 2008 at 4:23 am
Evolution book for kids.


"Travel in Future

Fairy tales
Long long time ago, while nothing happened, out of nowhere, the universe just popped up. Then there was a big huge sky sieve that strong planets survived and
weak ones were gone. The strong ones came in order by the wizard of luck and chances, and suddenly the sun and all planets are designed in perfect order amazingly. The location of sun, the earth and the moon were so perfect that day and nights and seasons started happening in order. Then the wizard of Luck and chances with his magic stick started sowing chemicals on the planets and those chemicals started raining on the earth. Then another wizard of blindwatcmaker came in. He started using his magical stick, which is using it to find his way as well to find the way, and making Dnas and then DNAS turned into worms and vegetables, fishes which turned into reptiles, birds, lizards, monkeys, zebras and finally human being. ( wizard caught the selfish gene(genie) as well who was trying to run away)The Blindwatcmaker wizard was so tired. He had done hell a lot of job. He tried to hold his stick which was so hot because of over working but he could not and he said, I am able to make the soul; it is not in job description. He changed one of fish into dog and he went home."

This is incredibly ironic wooter. You have attacked evolution by natural selection by using the words "magic" and "wizards". This is precisely what scientific theories don't need. They don't need magic hands which help things along.

Believing that the universe just "popped up" is exactly the kind of thing religious people say. For example, when asked, "How did the universe begin?" A likely reply is "God just created it that way". This is equivalent to saying "it just happened as if by magic"

All you have done in your post is underline your own views on the universe and on life and your too stupid to see the irony.

Steve,

wooter is not scared of evolution - he just doesn't understand it in the slightest.

50. A slow but certain demise

Comment #275008 by JAMCAM87 on October 30, 2008 at 3:54 pm

"(a weird religion of a most unusual kind - but a religion in effect)"

In what way is scientology any more bizarre than the main monotheistic religions?